12/19/2025
Recently, I was talking to some of my friends who are in their 40s. It seemed to me that the one common issue most of them were experiencing was consistent with perimenopause.
Most of you have heard of Menopause, which we attain after we have gone one year without a period.
Perimenopause is the period leading up to menopause, which can last up to nine years.
In addition to having irregularities of periods what most women do not realize is that we can have a host of seemingly unrelated symptoms. The problem arises when we do not associate these symptoms with perimenopause and feel like we have no other recourse.
This is the transition time where our hormone levels are fluctuating on a daily basis, and our symptoms vary based on the state of the hormonal balance.
The goal of this post is to raise awareness and not hesitate to look for solutions to help relieve these symptoms. Symptoms may be physical or emotional or a combination of both. They can be wide ranging, including hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, irritability, hairloss, weight gain, including bellyfat as well as difficulty focusing and shortened attention span often described as brain fog. Some folks have even reported changes in body odor.
The first step is not to accept this as normal or unsolvable. It is important to take matters into our own hands and actively seek solutions. Reaching out to your medical caregivers to rule out non-menopausal conditions, including thyroid disease or vitamin D deficiency would be important.
Simple changes can include placing small fans at different areas of the home or at work, directing the airflow towards the face.
Magnesium supplements may help with sleep and night sweats and herbal supplements, including Chaste berry may help with period issues as well as the emotional upheavals.
Exercising regularly, doing yoga, mindfulness practices, and daily meditation have also been found to be useful.
It is important to be vigilant and hopeful so that we can actively seek solutions and relief and not remain passive.
Remember, you are in charge!